GNTB Campaigns 2026 – Focus on Culture and Cuisine, Cities and Nature
With four global campaigns and three thematic priorities, the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) is promoting Germany as a travel destination in the international market including India in 2026. Germany’s strong position as a cultural and city travel destination, as well as the high demand for authentic experiences, gastronomy, and nature, are at the center of this effort. Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the GNTB, said: “Germany as a travel destination is excellently positioned with its pronounced hospitality culture and outstanding brand image as a service-oriented quality destination. Our campaigns and thematic priorities deliberately leverage these strengths to inspire potential travelers to Germany in key markets. This allows us to reach new customers from growth markets while also giving returning visitors reasons to travel to Germany again. In 2025, international tourists in Germany contributed €78.5 billion in travel expenditure to economic value creation. This, in turn, supports the medium-sized tourism sector.” City Campaign “Your Next Stop: Travel Destination Germany” City trips rank among the top three interests of international travelers worldwide, according to an exclusive Appinio study conducted for the DZT. With its cosmopolitan and rich cultural scene and diverse urban life, Germany is the number one city travel destination for travellers. To further boost inbound tourism for hotels, gastronomy, and retail, the DZT is running an inspiring, sales-oriented campaign, highlighting both lifestyle in major cities and the unique charm of smaller towns. “Culinary Germany” Campaign Experiencing local cuisine is the second most frequently cited activity among international city and cultural travelers—after exploring cultural heritage and sightseeing—according to the Appinio study for the DZT. The “Culinary Germany” campaign aims to position Germany worldwide as a versatile and attractive culinary travel destination with a strong hospitality culture. The core message emphasizes that unique cultural experiences emerge from the close connection between gastronomy, cuisine, and hotels. As an inspirational campaign, “Culinary Germany” showcases the country as a land of culinary and cultural delights, highlighting seasonal specialties and regional products. Food is always presented in the context of its region and the experience itself. At the heart of the campaign is a widget that takes users on an inspiring culinary journey through Germany. Based on individual interests and preferences, it recommends regions and specific attractions from the DZT Knowledge Graph, including points of interest, restaurants, hotels, food events, and wine festivals. The campaign is complemented by a new campaign film, social media, programmatic advertising, newsletters, influencer and journalist trips, as well as press and B2B communications. “Feel Good – Experiences That Stay” A central goal of the DZT’s sustainability strategy is to position Germany as a travel destination with a wide range of certified sustainable offerings. The internationally acclaimed campaign “Simply Feel Good” demonstrates how varied vacations can be enjoyed in harmony with the environment—both in nature and in the city. In 2026, the DZT will present the campaign under the new tagline: “Feel Good – Experiences That Stay.” “Season’s Greetings from Germany” Almost one in five international overnight stays in Germany occurs in November and December. Cities with large, diverse, and well-known Christmas markets—such as Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg—lead the way, but smaller towns and regions also benefit. According to the German Showmen’s Association, visitors generated €4.17 billion in revenue at Christmas markets in 2024, plus €4.88 billion outside the event sites. The special atmosphere of Germany’s cities during the Christmas season is highlighted annually in the DZT campaign “Season’s Greetings from Germany.” In 2026, the campaign will again promote travel to Germany during the pre-Christmas period, supporting hotels and retail in cities. A widget on the campaign microsite allows users to search among more than 3,400 Christmas markets across Germany, with data sourced from the DZT Knowledge Graph. Thematic Focus: 150 Years of the Bayreuth Festival Germany is firmly established as the number one cultural travel destination. In 2026, the DZT will use the Bayreuth Festival anniversary to highlight cities and regions associated with Richard Wagner as cultural beacons within Germany. Bayreuth, with its Festival Theatre and Margravial Opera House, is the only German city included in the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go” in 2026. Other travel tips, for example for Leipzig, Dresden, Eisenach, or Nuremberg, emphasize the wide range of Wagner-related cultural experiences across Germany. Thematic Focus: Family and Friends in Nature Rural vacations increased by 4% among European travelers to Germany in 2025, according to IPK International, with mountain holidays and trips to water destinations also growing. The DZT is responding to this trend by highlighting family-friendly nature activities such as hiking, cycling, and water experiences. A dedicated thematic page offers tips for family-friendly hotels, farm stays, treetop paths, and wildlife parks. A new outdoor widget, drawing data from the DZT Knowledge Graph, provides a clear overview of all tourist offerings. Thematic Focus: IGA 2027 in the Ruhr Region Germany hosts the International Garden Exhibition (IGA), one of the world’s largest garden festivals, every ten years. Following the 2017 IGA in Berlin, the Ruhr region will position itself as the “greenest industrial region in the world” with IGA 2027. Measures include expanding and upgrading the Ruhr Valley Cycle Route. The DZT cooperates with IGA organizers and the Federal Garden Show to promote these major events internationally. Through this thematic focus, the DZT will provide travel tips as early as 2026, aiming to extend the stay of the expected 2.6 million visitors.
